Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy

Biopsy, Bone Marrow

How It Is Done

A bone marrow aspiration or biopsy is usually done by a hematologist, medical oncologist, internist, or pathologist, or by a specially trained technologist. A laboratory technologist may also help get the sample. This biopsy may be done in your doctor's office or in a hospital.

You will need to take off all or most of your clothes, depending on what part of the body the biopsy or aspiration is taken from. You will be given a gown to use during the biopsy

Blood samples from a vein in your arm may be taken before the bone marrow biopsy. In rare cases, you may be given a blood product (clotting factor or platelets) into a vein (IV) in your arm to prevent bleeding after the biopsy.

Adults usually have a sample of bone marrow fluid taken from the back of the pelvic bone. In rare cases, a fluid sample is removed from the breastbone (sternum) or from the front of the pelvic bone. Babies and young children may have the sample taken from the front of the lower leg bone, just below the knee. A bone marrow biopsy is only taken from the pelvic bone.

You may be given a sedative to help you relax. You will lie either on your side or facedown, on your belly, for the biopsy. It is important that you lie still in that position during the biopsy. See illustrations of bone marrow aspiration and biopsy in a side-lying position or a facedown position.

The skin over the aspiration site will be cleaned with a special solution and a medicine (local anesthetic) will be used to numb the area. Then the aspiration needle will be put through your skin and into your bone to reach the bone marrow. You need to lie very still while the sample is taken. The needle is then taken out. More than one sample may be needed, possibly from more than one place on your body, such as from both sides of the pelvic bone. This is more likely to happen if the biopsy is being done to stage a condition, such as lymphoma.

A bone marrow biopsy uses a special tool that twists into the bone. It is normal to feel pressure at the site and hear a crunching sound as the tool twists into the bone.

After the samples have been taken, pressure is put on the site to stop any bleeding. A bandage is put on the area.

Each biopsy takes about 20 minutes. After the biopsy, you will remain lying down for 10 to 15 minutes. If the bleeding has stopped, you may do your normal activities. If you have been given a sedative, you may need several hours to rest. If you have an aspiration and biopsy from several places on your body, you may be given pain medicines to take at home or you may need to stay in the hospital overnight.

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Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: January 29, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Joseph O'Donnell, MD - Hematology/Oncology
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